[HousK  Bill,  No.    107.] 

HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  JaniMiy  6,  18G4.— Read 
first  and  second  times.  February  1,186  4. — Engrossed,  read  a  third 
time  and  passed. 

A.  i:.   LAMAR,  C/erk. 

SENATE,  February  2,  1864.— Read  first  ;.nd  second  times, 
and  referred  to  Committee  on  Military  Affairs.  Feb.  5,  IftCl. — Re- 
ported without  amendment.  Feb  12,  1861. — INotponed  to.  and  made 
special  order  for,  to-morrow  at  11  1-3  o'clock,  mid  '>rdercd  to  }»e  ytrinted. 


A.   BILL 

To  increase  tl* efficiency  of  the  army,  by  the  employment  of  free  ne- 
groes and  slaves  in  certain  capacities. 

1  Whereas,  The  efficiency  of  the  army  is  greatly  diminished  by 

2  the  withdrawal  from  the  ranks  of  able-bodied  soldiers    to  act 

3  as  teamsters,  and  in  various  other   capacities  in  which  free  ne- 

4  groes  and  slaves  might  be  advantageously  employed  ;  therefore, 

1  The  Congress  of  the  Confederate   States  <  f  America  do  enact,  That 

2  all  male  free  negroes  and  otlior  free  persons  of  cohu-,  not  includ- 

5  ing  those  who  are  free  under  the  treaty  of  Varis,  of  1803,  or  under 

4  the  treaty    with    Spain,  of  1819,  resident  in    the    Confederate 

5  States,  between  the  ages  of   eighteen    and    fifty  years,  shall  be 

6  held  liable  to  perform  such  duties  witli  the  army,  or  in  connec- 

7  tion  with  the  military  defences   of  the  country,  in  the  way  of 

8  work  upon  fortificatiens,  or   in  Govcnmicnt  works,  for  the  pro- 


2 

?)  duction  or  preparation  of  material  of  war,  or  in    military  hos- 

10  pitals,  as  the  Secretary    of  War  may,  from  time  to   time,  pre- 

11  scribe;  and,  avIjiIc  engaged  in  the  performance  of  such   duties, 

12  shall  receive  )arions  and  clothing,  and  compensa-tion  at  the  rate 

13  of  eieven  doll.! is  a  month,  under  such  rules  and  regulations  as 

14  the   said  Secretary  may  establish:   Provided.   That  the  Secretary 

15  of  War,  Avith  the    approval  of  the  President,  may   exempt  from 

16  the  operationo  of  this  act  such  free  negroes  as  the  interest  of  the 

17  country  may    require  should  be  exempted,  or  such  as   he  may 

18  think  proper  to  exempt  on  grounds  of  justice,  equity  or  neces- 

19  sity.  9 

1  Sj^c.  2    Tint   the  Secretary  of  War  is    hereby  authorized  to 

2  employ,  for  duties  similar  to  those  indicated  in  the  preceding  sec- 

3  tion  of  this  act,  as  many  male  negro  slaves,  not  to  exceed  twenty 

4  thousand,  as,,  iii  his  judgment,  the  wants  of  the  service  may  re- 

6  quire,  furnishing  them,  while   so  employed,  with  proper  rations 
C  and  clothing,  under  rules  and  regulations  to  be  established  by  him, 

7  and  paying  to  the  ovruer  of  said  slaves,  such  wages  as  may  be  agreed 

8  upon  with  said  owners  for  their  use  and  service  ;  and,  in  the  event 

9  of  the  loss  of  any  slaves,  while  so  employed,  by   the  act  of  the 

10  enemy,  or  by    escape  to  the  enemy,  or    by  death  inflicted  by  the 

1 1  enemy,  or  by  disease  contracted  Vvhile  in  any  service  required  of 

12  said  slaves,  then  the  owners  of  the  same  shnll  be  entitled  to  re- 

13  ceive  the  full  value  of  such  slaves,  to  be  ascertained  by  agree- 


5 

14  mcnt,  or  by  appraii^ement  under  the   laws  regulating    impress- 

15  ment,  to  l>e  paid  under  such  rules  and  regulations  as  the  Secre- 

16  tary  of  War  may  establish. 

5  Skc.   3.   That  when  the  Secretary  of  War  shall  be  untble  to  pro- 

2  cure  the  j^orvice  of  slaves  in  any  military  department,  in  Kutficient 

5  flniribcv.-^  ior  \hv.  iicoossitics  of  the  department  upon  th"  terms  r.nd 
4  conditions  sol  iorih  in  tlie  preceding  section,  then  lie  is  liercby  au- 
Ci  thori/.cd  to  impress  liu.'  services  of  as  many  male  slaves,  not  to  ex- 

6  coed  twenty  tbousand,  as  )iiay  be  required,  from  tinio  to  time,  to 
T  disehaigo  tho  duties  ii.iiicated  in  tlie  first  section  of  this  act,  ac- 
8  cording  Vt  laws  rogulaiing  impressment  of  slaves  m  other  cases: 
i)  r/oridnl.  That  slaves  so  impressed  shall,  while  employed,  receive 

Id-  tho   Siime  rations    and  clothing,  in    kind  and   (juantity,  as  slaves 

I }  regulavlv  hircil  from  their  owners,  and,  in  the  event  uT  ilhif  loss, 

12  shall  be  paid  for  in  the  same  manner  and  under   the  -aujo  rules 

|:i  established  by  the  said  impressment  laws  :   Provided,  That,  if  the 

]4  owner  have  but   one   male   sla\e  Avithin   the  age  of  eighteen  and 

J5  fifty,  ho   shall   not  bo   impressed   against  tho  \\ ill  of  the  owner: 

l()  Froridtd,  ftnther,  That  free  negroes  shall  be  first  impressed,  and, 

n  if  there  should  be  a  deficiency,  it  shall  be  supplied  by  the  impress- 

18  mcnt  t.f  slaves,  according  to  the  foregoing  provisions  :   Fiovidcd^ 

]*A  further,  Tii.-it,  in  nr.tling  the  impressment,  not  more   than  one  of 

2'^  evei-y  -'ivo  male  slaves,  between   the  ages  of  cightoen  and  foity- 

21  live,  sh.dl  be  t?>^::n  from  any  owner. 


^  IS  a. 


